Maybe the darkness isn’t darkness at all. Maybe it is the Divine hug wrapping us so tightly that we can no longer see anything but the stillness.
And maybe the silence isn’t just silence–Divine abandonment. Maybe it is the Divine Lullaby inviting our weary souls into the stilling sacrament of Sabbath.
Maybe the Dark Night is the place where our soul is to find rest. Maybe there is no Divine Movement because the moment is not purposed for action and activity, but for restoration and refuge–hiding–holding–wholing.
And maybe the Dark Night of the Soul would pass more easily if we leaned into it, laying our souls down in the blanket of darkness, welcoming rest rather than fighting for light.
Maybe this is the Circadian Rhythm of the soul…
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I used to have many dark nights as a kid and as a dirt-poor single mom. I would ask for an angel and I could feel one coming down and wrapping me with love in the night. I swear I could feel the warmth; a calm come over me. Many of those nights I would sleep. (Of course, I gave my angel an Irish name….) This was LONG before I discovered what the Cross was/is; what being a Christian is. He was walking with me even then.
Some day, I will tell you about the God-Voice that kept me going during the really bad times when I was a kid……very special. I came to Him so late in life, but it was only in the coming to Him that I recognized He was calling me from the start.
I would like to hear that story, Maggie. Maybe on a southern beach under a southern sun.
God designed us with a need to rest – because that was his design for us, and for us not to be obedient to that, does that indicate sin? I think so – I have literally seen lives destroyed because of lack of rest. Families destroyed because “life was too busy” – no rest. God forgive us for this sin.
By the way, its morning now get busy! I just read my bible, doing a study of Revelation, but still need my prayer time before I start my day – yep, will pray for Mandy by name.
Hope you had a good nights rest. Pray for me – I have a stress test at 12:30PM EDT today. I have had some minor chest pain.
Gorgeous!
I LOVE this post!! Love. I can really relate to how you feel about the dark.
I wrote something last year after I suffered a heartbreaking loss called “Beautiful Darkness.” It’s very similar to what you wrote here and I truly believe that it was something that God showed me. Maybe you’d like to read it…http://www.erin-brady.com/2010/01/beautiful-darkness.html.
I am SO not the person to plug my own writings…but your post here really brought me back to that place…that hard place…and maybe it will encourage you too
Thanks Erin!
Did you write this?! Superb. This line grabbed my soul: “Maybe it is the Divine hug wrapping us so tightly that we can no longer see anything but the stillness.” Yes!
yes ma’am, I did. It took me about an entire day to sort it all out though.
A day very well invested. One day’s labor for immortalized lines of truth and hope.
OH, how I needed this. We have been having many sleepless nights…Beautiful words to remember in the darkness.
Leaning into it…
And maybe you’re on to something!
This is beautiful. Mandy Steward sent me here this morning and I have been blessed, uplifted.
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